Molten, unpredictable and shaped in a matter of minutes
Before it becomes something still and refined, every piece of handcrafted glassblown art journeys through our Hotshop and Coldshop
The Hotshop
Where Movement Shapes the piece
The hotshop is where each piece, after imagined by our artists, takes its most most fluid and unpredictable shape. Working in intense heat, the arists must constantly move with the glass - shaping, adjusting and reacting in real time as colour and form begin to emerge from their vision.
There is no exact repeapt. Every moment leaves a subtle trace in the glass and every decision becomes part of the finished work.
What happens in the hotshop?
01
Gathering
Molten glass is drawn from the furnace at over 1000°C - fluid, glowing, alive and constantly in motion.
02
Shaping
Formed through breath and gravity. Every second counts here, there's no time to pause and no margin for error.
03
Cooling
Pieces are slowly cooled to stabilise the glass, preserving the final form and realising the artists' vision finally.
04
Refining
Tools and movement define the piece's edges, curves, thickness and density. Each action here leaves its mark.
The Coldshop
Where the Final Character Emerges
Once the heat and movement of the hotshop are complete, pieces continue their journey through the coldshop. Here, surfaces are cut, polished, engraved and refined by hand. This brings greater clarity and detail to each work.
These quieter stages are just as important to the finished piece. Small adjustments to texture and edge help shape how the glass lives within your space.
What happens in the coldshop?
01
Cutting
The piece begins to slow down here. Surfaces are cut and shaped with precision, bringing definition and balance to the form created in the hotshop.
02
Grinding
Edges and contours are carefully refined by hand. Small adjustments here quietly influence how the finished piece catches light and occupies space.
03
Polishing
Clarity begins to emerge. Layers of refinement smooth the surface, deepen reflections and reveal the character within the glass.
04
Finishing
The final details bring the piece together. Every surface is inspected, cleaned and considered before it leaves the coldshop and enters the gallery.
Experience it in person
It can be difficult to fully grasp the heat and scale at a distance. In the gallery, the hotshop is just metres away, where you can watch each piece being formed by our artists in real time, moment by moment.
See the hotshop
Tue – Sat 10am – 5pm
Sunday 11am – 5pm
Find us
62–66 Bermondsey Street
London, SE1 3UD
Free entry
No booking required
All are welcome
Hands-on hotshop experience
Try glassblowing for yourself
Join one of our half-day glassblowing sessions and experience what it's like to shape molten glass in the hotshop, which our artists use daily.
3 hour sessions
Handcraft 2 pieces to take home
Just 2 people per class